UCLA game thread

FINAL SCORE IS 86-75 UW — Huskies are now 15-4 and 6-1 in Pac-10 play and alone in first place.
UCLA falls to 15-4 and 5-2.
The rematch is in Pauley on Feb. 21.
Final scoring leaders — Thomas had 24 for the Huskies, Brockman 18 and Dentmon 16, hitting 10-10 free throws.
Shipp had 25 for UCLA, Collison 12 and no one else in double figures.
Bruins shot 12-31 in the second half and 5-15 on three-pointers.
CLASSY MOVE BY DAWG PACK — As some fans began to yell out “over-rated” — which is the stupidest chant in sports in my opinion — a number of the Dawg Pack gave a slashing sign to get them to change the cheer. A good move.
To me, yelling over-rated sounds like it means the only reason your team can beat theirs is because they aren’t that good. Is that really the message UW fans want to send today? You should feel that maybe UCLA is still maybe a top 15 team but that UW is just better.
COLLISON 0-4 AT HEC ED — Collison has gone to three Final Fours. But he’ll end his college career 0-4 in Seattle. And this one ends for him with one minute left as he fouls out with 12 points on 5-14 shooting.
HOW’S FIRST PLACE SOUND? — That’s where UW will be in 1:36 as the Huskies have a 79-66 lead, having scored the last 12 points in a row. In LA the story will be another late-game UCLA implosion. But here, it’s that UW has made a huge statement that it is for real. As the local AP voter, they will be in my Top 25 tomorrow, just have to figure out where. They will be ahead of UCLA, however,
DENTMON COMES UP BIG AGAIN — He had foul trouble early, but he’s come up big late with six points as UW has gone on a 10-0 run that looks like it will clinch this game. UW is ahead 77-66 with 1:55 left and UCLA hasn’t hit a field goal since 6:36 mark.
UW THE SMARTER TEAM — If the Huskies win this game, it will be another one they win because they simply played smarter. The foul by Shipp a minute ago, the steal by Dentmon of Collison, who wasn’t paying attention. Those have been key plays in putting UW ahead 72-66 with 4:02 left.
HUSKIES UP FOUR WITH THE BALL — UW has a real chance to win this game right here, with a 70-66 lead, the ball and 4:47 left. Romar called a 30 I’m sure hoping to set up a play to convert here and take what would start to be a significant lead considering the time left.
UCLA FINALLY STARTS DOUBLE TEAMING BROCKMAN — Bruins had largely been trying to single-cover Brockman and he had eaten it alive all game. But on the last possession they trapped him when he got it and he threw the ball away leading to a UCLA fast break and foul that has cut the lead to 67-66 with 6:07 to go.
HUSKIES TAKE LARGEST LEAD — UW grabbed a 65-58 lead with a 7-0 run at the 8:25 mark. But UCLA has hit a shot and after a turnover, has the ball with a time out at the 7:32 mark.
Weird game rebounding wise as no one on either team has more than four — I think that’s indicative of a lot of long rebounds on the UCLA end with the Bruins taking so many jumpers — 18 of their 51 shots are threes.
IT ON FIRE —- Thomas has hit three three-pointers in the last three-and-a-half minutes to give UW a 63-58 lead. He is also making a further statement about his candidacy for Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors. With 18 points on 5-12 shooting, he’s outplaying the more highly-touted Jrue Holiday, who has eight points.
BROCKMAN GETTING REST — UW has pulled ahead 55-53 with Brockman getting a few minutes rest, which is always sandwiched around the under 12 media time out. He’s getting even more because Howland called a time out at 12:03, meaning there could be another time out in four seconds depending on when the next dead ball is. Howland is known for his unorthodox TO strategy — he often calls time outs after made baskets to set up his defense, and sometimes has none left by the end of the game. Howland figures the potential tradeoff in points saved during the game is worth it.
UCLA HAS 18 FOULS, UW 10 — I know everyone’s booing the refs, but UW has taken 23 free throws, UCLA six. A lot of that is due to the differing natures of the teams — UW is inside oriented, UCLA jump shooting all over the place. But I donn’t think UW’s getting short shrift there today.
BROCKMAN’S REVENGE — Brockman was so disheartened over the USC game Thursday night that he politely asked that if none of us really wanted to talk to him, that he didn’t feel like doing interviews. He did do a few out-of-town interviews but otherwise he was left alone.
He’s come back with a vengeance today as he has 15 points at the 15:43 mark, having hit 4-5 shots and 7-9 free throws as UW leads 48-46. Gordon has four fouls trying to guard him and freshman J’mison Morgan just picked up another.
Also, Marques Tuiasosopo just sat down right in front of us at press row. I’m assuming he’s been here all game but I just noticed him.
HOLIDAY VS. HOLIDAY — So far, they haven’t been on the floor much together, though they were briefly ata around the 5 minute mark and again at the end of the half, but they haven’t guarded each other. Their mother is standing in the section right behind the UCLA bench, appearing more nervous than she let on yesterday when she said she would simply cheer every play.
SOME HALFTIME THOUGHTS — I think the Huskies may be right where they want to be, down only one point — 39-38 — despite some early struggles.
The stats indicate an almost even game — UCLA is 16-32 shooting, UW 13-29; each team has seven turnovers; UCLA is outboarding UW a slight 18-16.
Two big differences — UW is 11-12 at the free throw line to just 3-6 for UCLA (so while there may seem to be alot of bad calls, the stats indicate the officiating is working in UW’s favor to this point); while UCLA has countered with 4-9 from the three-point line to 1-6 for UW.
The energy in here is great, however, and if the Huskies can get on any kind of consistent offensive roll, the crowd could carry them through.
Collison and Shipp have each played 18 minutes for UCLA — no UW player has played more than 14 — so that could work against the Bruins by the end of this one, as well.
Brockman looks like a different player offensively today,with the only issue being that he isn’t touching the ball enough. He’s 3-3 shooting and 3-3 from the line for a team-high nine points.
Shipp leads UCLA with 12, hitting three three-pointers and converting a three-point play.
SARKISIAN INTRODUCED — New football coach Steve Sarkisian and the rest of the football staff was just introduced. I wrote about it on the football blog.
UCLA UP 39-38 — Each team with big plays near the end of the half as a Jrue Holiday steal led to a Collisonlay-in and a 7-0 Bruin run to put UCLA up 39-35. But Justin Holiday hit a three from the corner with 3 seconds left to close UW within 39-38.
HUSKIES FINALLY GET LEAD, GIVE IT BACK — UW got a three-point lead but gave it right back with five in a row by the Bruins, who are up 37-35 with 40.4 left.
Gordon has three fouls for UCLA and is out of the game.
UW JUST CAN’T GRAB THE LEAD — UW has had three chances to take the lead down one but hasn’t been able to convert and still trails 28-27 with 3:51 to go in the first half. Collison seems to be trying to eradicate his Hec Ed Hex, but he is just 2-7 and only one shot has gone in the hoop, the other make a goal-tend.
UW is 10-24 shooting and UCLA after a fast start is 12-28. UCLA started 7-13 meaning it’s 5-15 since.
Both of the Holidays have been on the floor since 5:01 but haven’t guarded each other yet. Justin is on Michael Roll and Thomas is guarding Jrue.
BROCKMAN OWNING GORDON — Brockman has seven of UW’s first 21 points, obviously on a mission after the four-point, no-field goal outing against USC on Thursday. He just converted a three-point play on Gordon, who can’t guard him right now.
Elston Turner also got a lot of run as the Huskies went with four subs for about three minutes as Brockman, Dentmon and Thomas were all out. UW has closed to within 24-21 with 7:29 to play.
SHIPP CRESTING — Josh Shipp has hit three three-pointers, the main reason UCLA has a 17-12 lead at a time out with 11:17 to play. Justin Holiday is in the game, but Jrue Holiday is out so the two have yet to face off on the floor. UW has attempted a few times to trap Collison up high, but he smartly got out of it once to set up an open shot for Alfred Aboya. UW lucky to be this close considering it is shooting 5-15 to UCLA’s 7-13.
BROCKMAN MAKES STATEMENT — After the time out, UW went to Brockman its first two times with the ball and he was able to score on UCLA freshman Drew Gordon, a player the Huskies recruited heavily. Another UCLA TO has led to a 6-0 Husky run and closed the gap to 9-7.
UCLA UP 9-1 AT FIRST TIME OUT — Huskies are 0-6 from the floor with two turnovers as they haven’t been able to get anything going against UCLA’s defense. Darren Collison, who always struggles here, has forced a few things early but just was credited with a basket on a goaltend on a layin. Huskies have to get some good looks inside.
A FEW FUN SIGNS — The Dawg Pack got creative today. One sign reads “Moma Holiday likes Justin best.” Another “Welcome to the Libbey show.”
IS THIS THE GAME THAT GETS UW IN THE TOURNAMENT? — Could be. Not only would it give the Huskies a “marquee win.” But think about it practically — win today and get to 6-1 in Pac-10 play and just going 5-6 the rest of the way would get to 11 conference wins, usually a magic number for getting into the tourney.
UH OH, DAVE LIBBEY IN THE HOUSE — Libbey is the head official for today’s game. And the most relevant thing about that is that he loves the “shut up the house” call. If you’re a road team, he’s the guy you want since for all the criticisms you want to make of him, he’s not afraid to get booed.
PRE-GAME — I’ll start the game thread here, about 70 minutes to tipoff of the biggest game here in three seasons.
The Dawg Pack was allowed entry just a few minutes ago and almost all of those seats are already full, rumors abounding that some/many spent the night outside Hec Ed, as was common in the old days.
They also have already gotten in fine heckling form, flashing pictures of Nikola Dragovic in a hot tub while chanting his name, which few mostly chuckles from the UCLA side.
Justin Holiday and brother Jrue just exchanged a hearty hug at midcourt, and posed for a quick picture, as well.
And for the second straight game, there will be a crowd of 10,000 — signs outside were posted saying there are no tickets available.
Tipoff awaits.